Massive Flooding in St. Lucia After a Week of Heavy Downpours

CASTRIES, St. Lucia – Several residents in the north of St Lucia were trapped in their homes and there were reports of land slippage as heavy rainfall on Sunday, following downpours in the past week, resulted in flooding.

While flooding was reported in the north from Gros Islet to Bexon, other parts of the country experienced fair to partly cloudy skies, meteorologists said.

The National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) said it had received reports of individuals trapped in their homes in the Assou Canal area.

NEMO’s Acting Director Maria Medard told St Lucia Times that emergency responders, including police, the St. Lucia Fire Service, the Gros Islet District Disaster Committee, and the National Transportation Committee, were trying to assist in evacuating the distressed residents.

“Some people have reported that the flooding was up to their neck. That was in the Corinth, Grande Riviere area,” she said, although saying it was uncertain how many residents were affected.

Communications Officer in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Ports, Transport, Physical Development, and Urban Renewal, Miguel Fevrier, said technical teams dispatched to the affected areas were assessing the situation to take remedial action within the shortest possible time.

He urged residents in areas prone to flooding and landslides to exercise extreme caution as more rains were expected into Monday morning.

The St. Lucia Meteorological Services said an upper-level trough affected the island during the weekend and it was expected to move away from the island by tomorrow.

“This isolated incident was a little unexpected, so we expect partly cloudy skies through the week,” meteorologist Andre Joyeux said.